What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Abusive vs Vitriol - What's the difference?

abusive | vitriol |

As an adjective abusive

is wrongly used; perverted; misapplied; unjust; illegal.

As a noun vitriol is

sulphuric acid and various metal sulphates.

As a verb vitriol is

to subject someone to bitter verbal abuse.

abusive

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied; unjust; illegal.
  • * I am ... necessitated to use the word Parliament improperly, according to the abusive acceptation thereof. - Fuller
  • (archaic) Catachrestic.
  • (archaic) Full of abuses; practicing abuse; containing abuse, or serving as the instrument of abuse.
  • *
  • Prone to ill treat by coarse, insulting words or by other ill usage; vituperative; reproachful; scurrilous.
  • * An abusive lampoon. - A dictionary of the English language
  • (obsolete) Tending to deceive; fraudulent.
  • * An abusive treaty. -
  • (archaic) Given to misusing; also, full of abuses.
  • * The abusive prerogatives of his see. -
  • (obsolete) Given to misusing.
  • Being physically injurious; characterized by repeated violence.
  • Synonyms

    * reproachful, scurrilous, opprobrious, insolent, insulting, injurious, offensive, reviling, berating, vituperative

    Derived terms

    * abusively * abusiveness

    References

    ----

    vitriol

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dated) sulphuric acid and various metal sulphates
  • (by extension) bitterly abusive language
  • * 2012 November 2, Ken Belson, "[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/03/sports/new-york-city-marathon-will-not-be-held-sunday.html?hp&_r=0]," New York Times (retrieved 2 November 2012):
  • For days, online forums sparked with outrage against politicians and race organizers, a tone that turned to vitriol against runners, even from some shaming other runners for being selfish.

    Derived terms

    * vitriolic * oil of vitriol * blue vitriol * green vitriol * hurl vitriol * iron vitriol * white vitriol

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to subject someone to bitter verbal abuse